Richmond community members organized a Martin Luther King Day march Monday morning to help bring attention to those struggling with homelessness and a rising cost of living.
Those who marched include members of the NAACP, local shelters and members of the Madison County Tenants Union.
Mitchell Brown is the president of the county’s NAACP chapter and helped organize the march. He says in three years, the annual march has changed from a celebration of Dr. King’s work to a continuation of his mission.
“He's still influencing today, as we have those who are in need in our community,” Brown said. “So we want our march to have a purpose and a meaning to it, other than just commemorating his birthday.”
Organizations like Richmond’s First Christian Church, which helps provide utility assistance and connect those in need to resources for employment, were also involved. Pastor Patrick Messer says the church gets calls every day from locals facing eviction.
“We have people working in the office just to field these calls that are happening all the time,” Messer said. “They're either trying to get a deposit to get into a place, or they've had a housing voucher, but there's no one to take them.”
Those marching argued in favor of more funding and resources towards homeless shelters in Madison County. Members of the Madison County Tenants Union also brought attention to House Bill 5, which includes a proposed ban on street camping.
